Pharmaceutical company GSK is teaming up with UK scientists to use artificial intelligence to fight superbugs that are making life-saving medicines increasingly ineffective.
A £45mn venture with the Fleming Initiative will fund about 50 researchers and launch six programmes to target pathogens such as MRSA “hospital superbugs” and fungi that are spreading because of climate change, GSK will announce on Tuesday.
The project seeks to combat resistance to treatments such as antibiotics, which is growing due to overprescription, failures by patients to complete their courses and careless disposal of pharmaceuticals. Climate change and pollution are other risk factors, with flooding and microplastic surfaces giving pathogens the means to mix and exchange genetic material.